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Thread: Dealing with the VJ and Light operator….

  1. #11
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    I did stage 2 of the same show as Slick Lasers. Almost the exact same problem, except before the show the LD tells me start kind "slow" for the first hour. Slow to me meant no wild cues. Then he pretty much shuts me down with only doing "punctuation point" lasers. Like I could really figure out what some crap DJ's were going to play next....

    Ya, I agree that if you know the music and what's coming up next, you can do some cool effects. But when you have to use ESP to guess what's next, you are probably going to do lasers at the wrong times and look like shit. "Here comes the drop.......waiting for the drop.......wtf? The DJ just did dingle bells sounds and I did drop cues."

    Live music with choreographed lasers is amazing. If you are a laserist for a DJ you have no idea what he is doing, it's better to do whatever lasers feel right and it will probably look good.

    Leaving an LD in charge of when / what lasers is frustration! And no, I'm not sorry my lasers looked way better than your sharpies and blinding strobes..... What's the ratio of "dude your lasers are amazing" vrs "dude your stage lights are amazing"?

  2. #12
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    One other thing. I lived in Europe 10 years ago. What we are doing in the USA now is what they did back then. Now you look at what the big EDM shows are doing in Europe is a ton of laser overload, and it looks awesome. Why in the USA are we stuck back in time? LD egos?

  3. #13
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    LD's like this should loose work. It should be about the show and audience experience, not about their egos which often it is.

    I can remember mixing opening acts and having the system compressors dialedin to kill my sound, simply because I was pulling a better sound than the main act did in sound check.... Big egos win, audience lose.
    This space for rent.

  4. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Phredy1 View Post
    I did stage 2 of the same show as Slick Lasers. Almost the exact same problem, except before the show the LD tells me start kind "slow" for the first hour. Slow to me meant no wild cues. Then he pretty much shuts me down with only doing "punctuation point" lasers. Like I could really figure out what some crap DJ's were going to play next....

    Ya, I agree that if you know the music and what's coming up next, you can do some cool effects. But when you have to use ESP to guess what's next, you are probably going to do lasers at the wrong times and look like shit. "Here comes the drop.......waiting for the drop.......wtf? The DJ just did dingle bells sounds and I did drop cues."

    Live music with choreographed lasers is amazing. If you are a laserist for a DJ you have no idea what he is doing, it's better to do whatever lasers feel right and it will probably look good.

    Leaving an LD in charge of when / what lasers is frustration! And no, I'm not sorry my lasers looked way better than your sharpies and blinding strobes..... What's the ratio of "dude your lasers are amazing" vrs "dude your stage lights are amazing"?
    Im going to have to disagree with this. Im a DJ turned Laserist.... and it makes me very very very good at timing. I can go 6 hours without messing up one drop or break. or even getting off beat.. Not trying to toot my own horn.
    My tip to you, is learn to dj. Learn the measures, learn the counts, and it WILL make you a better laserist and you will be able to predict the flow of the music.
    Its why i love being a laserist so much. It makes me feel like im djing again
    "This is not "work". It's a disease, addiction and passion. Only slightly cheaper than cocaine, but similar effects."
    -dnar

  5. #15
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    I find being a drummer is also helpful for the same reasons.

    /prepares for incoming flac.... Noboddy seams to like drummers. I play guitar too, if that helps.
    This space for rent.

  6. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by JD3 View Post
    Im going to have to disagree with this. Im a DJ turned Laserist.... and it makes me very very very good at timing. I can go 6 hours without messing up one drop or break. or even getting off beat.. Not trying to toot my own horn.
    My tip to you, is learn to dj. Learn the measures, learn the counts, and it WILL make you a better laserist and you will be able to predict the flow of the music.
    Its why i love being a laserist so much. It makes me feel like im djing again
    It's not the timing I had problems with. It was a few DJ's that just played some real crap. Unpredictable crap. Not that I don't miss on occasion, but these guys were all over the place with some really strange stuff.

  7. #17
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    good trick if you miss a drop.
    IE track builds to what you think was a drop, but it goes quiet.. is keep your finger on the soft pause button..
    "This is not "work". It's a disease, addiction and passion. Only slightly cheaper than cocaine, but similar effects."
    -dnar

  8. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by JD3 View Post
    LED walls, movers, and strobes are MUCH MUCH MUCH brighter than they used to be. A proper LED wall can make a 2watt laser disappear because they are so bright. Now add movers, strobes, leds, etc...

    I wish i had more money for bigger lasers haha.
    You need to look more to Europe. In Europe lighting guys tend not to mix lasers and other lighting as much, instead it tends to be laser alone or sometimes with added low level lights that don't detract or LED / moving heads and no laser, at least in hard dance clubs. I'm not saying they never mix it, but just not as much and not usually using the very bright lights.
    Last edited by White-Light; 03-18-2014 at 07:17. Reason: missing space

  9. #19
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    Attachment 42590
    Very bright wall, Two 2watts on the outside and a 2.5watt in the center.

    Attachment 42591
    Same night, different angle. Wall is much dimmer right now.
    "This is not "work". It's a disease, addiction and passion. Only slightly cheaper than cocaine, but similar effects."
    -dnar

  10. #20
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    I agree with the LJ & VJ- Lasers are a 'special effect', and should be treated as such. Plus, normally the LJ is also the LD, so he has final say over everyone except perhaps the performer he is working for. As long as you are getting paid, suck it up and play your part, you are NOT the star.

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